2013 Central Ohio Homeless Veterans Stand Down

If you're looking for a way to show your gratitude to the men and women who have served our country, here's your chance. The Holiday Inn Worthington is collecting items for the 2013 Central Ohio Homeless Veterans Stand Down. The event, now in its 18th year, will take place on October 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Franklin County Veterans Memorial in Columbus. The goal of the event is to provide a host of services and much-needed items for veterans and homeless veterans. Collection boxes will be set up at the Holiday Inn Worthington and Holiday Inn Express at Polaris. Here's a list of suggested contributions:

"We want the hotel to be a place where people in the community can drop these things off, and the veterans will know that Worthington cares," said K. Lou Whitley, area sales manager for the hotel and community organizer. "We want to give back to the community and to veterans." The needs are great. On any given night, more than 300,000 veterans are living on the streets or in shelters in the United States. Approximately 33 percent of all homeless males in this country are

Stand Downs are just one way the Department of Veterans Affairs provides services to homeless veterans. They are designed to provide everything from food and clothing to health screenings, legal services, haircuts, VA and Social Security benefits counseling, and job search information. The events are typically a collaborative effort between local Veterans Affairs offices, other governmental agencies, and community agencies serving the homeless.

Worthington residents are encouraged to take advantage of the convenient drop-off locations at the Worthington Inn Columbus, located at 700 N. High Street in Worthington (614-436-0700) and the HolidayInn Express at 8670 Orion Place in Columbus (614-781-6100). Last year more than 300 veterans were served, and this year they expect to exceed that number. You donations are greatly needed!

For more information about Stand Down, visit centralohiostanddown.com. Information about this event and other Worthington happenings are posted on the event calendar at visitworthingtonohio.com.